Comfort in trials

Suffering is an unfortunate side effect of living in a sin cursed world. It is not something we, as Christians, are magically immune to, and indeed, even while He walked the Earth in human flesh, Jesus Himself suffered great pains.

But Christians do have one advantage: Right standing with God. For the unbeliever, these sufferings are merely a taste of what their final destiny may well be. But for us, as Christians, there is great comfort. There is comfort in knowing that this is as close to Hell as we will ever get. There is comfort in knowing there is an expiration date to our pain, and that it is an infinitesimally small percentage of our ultimate lifespan. But best of all, there is comfort in simply knowing God, and being known by Him. He comforts us in all our trials, ensuring that even when all hope seems lost, we still have the greatest hope. Furthermore, when we have been comforted, we have the ability to comfort others! We can actually pass on God's blessing to us!

This life, for all its joys, is full of many horrible things. But for the Christian, even the worst of trials can be the greatest of blessings. As it is written, "...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). Therefore, when the trials come, let us cling to Him, and let us ask what we can learn from our suffering, so that we may bring Him the most glory.